Paper-bag holder.



PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. F. THOMAS. PAPER BAG HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. 1907.

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UNITED STATES FERDINAND THOMAS, OF MARKLEYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-BAG HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed August 15. 1907- Serial No. 388,679.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND THOMAS, citizen of the United States, residing at Markleysburg, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Bag Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in holders for paper bags and the like and the invention has for its object a simple, durable and efficient construction of device of this character which will hold the articles securely and which at the same time will permit the ready withdrawal of one or more bags or similar arti cles as the occasion arises.

With this and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists primarily in a support consisting of a base portion, a vertical plate secured thereto, a back piece secured to the said plate and base and a series of frames projecting laterally from either or both sides of the said plate and designed to hold therein a plurality of bags or analogous articles on edge, each frame being provided with a spring device, hereinafter specifically described, designed ,to press downwardly upon the uppermost edges of the articles so as to hold them securely in place and yet at the same time permit one or more to be withdrawn endwise from the bunch.

The invention also consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts which I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved paper bag holder. Fig. 2 is a front edge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of one of the spring tension rods, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of frame. 7

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The support of my improved holder in the present instance consists of a base 1, a vertical plate 2 supported thereon, and preferably provided with an inclined front edge 3, and a back piece 4 which is secured to the base and I to the plate 2 and which preferably extends laterally on both sides of the said plate. The bag holding compartments of the device consist of a number of frames 5 that in the present instance are formed of wire and furnished in pairs, front and rear. Each frame is provided with upper and lower horizontal portions 6 extending laterally from the plate 2 and connected together at their outer ends by longitudinally extending portions 7, each horizontally extending portion bein formed with inner offset ends 8 formed Wlfil eyes 9 through which screws or similar fastening means are inserted to secure the frames to the plate.

If desired, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the wires comprising the several frames may be all formed of a single strand or length bent into suitable shape as shown, and coiled at inter vals to provide eyes 9 for the screws, or in fact it is within the purview of my invention to form these frames in any desired way. Preferably the frames 5 to hold the devices are graded, or are of different sizes so as to accommodate bags or similar articles of the different sizes, and the largest frames are arranged lowermost, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. Preferably frames 5 extend from both faces of the plate 2 so as to increase the capacity of the device.

The bags or similar articles are slipped endwise into the respective pairs of frames 5 or compartments formed thereby and stood on edge on the lowermost horizontal bars or portions 6. In order to hold the articles from accidental displacement while at the same time permitting them to be withdrawn when required, I provide for each frame a tension device 10 which is designed to engage the uppermost edges of the bags. In the pres ent instance the tension device consists of a spring rod which is partially coiled at one end as indicated at 12 and is secured at said end by a staple, to the plate 2. The rod extends, prcfcrably in a forward direction, from its attached end, along the face of the plate, and through a movement limiting staple 11 penetrating the said plate. The free end of each tension device or spring rod 10 is laterally bent and projects outwardly as indicated at 12*, and is preferably arched, so

the bags and press dowmvardly thereupon, the extremity of the rod being preferably bent outwz'rrdly, as clearly illustrated in the i drawings.

as to extend across the uppermost edges of,

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation of my improved paper bag holder is obvious. The bags of several sizes are inserted endwise into their respective compartments and stood on edge as shown, the arched portions of the respective tension rods bearing downwardly upon the uppermost edges of'the bags. While the tension devices 10 will hold the bags securely against any accidental withdrawal, any one or more of the bags may be easily slipped, by a longitudinal pull, outwardly from its compartment and from underneath the arched portion of said tension device, this movement being greatly facilitated if the operator, as he will soon learn to do, simply gives a bag a slight twist as it is withdrawn, so as to free its upper edge from the tension device.

l/Vhile I have described my invention as a paper bag holder, it is to be understood that it is equally applicable for use as a holder for druggists labels, for post cards, for envelops, when the device is made of a size to be placed on a desk, and for other articles, generally.

Having thus described what is claimed as new is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising a support provided with a compartment in which the articles to be held are placed on their edges and from which the articles are designed to be drawn by an endwise pull, and a spring tension device secured to said support and arranged to have a spring movement at right angles to the movement of withdrawal, said tension device being formed with an outwardly extending offset free end designed to press downwardly upon the uppermost edges of the articles in the compartment 2. A device of the character described, comprising a support provided with a comthe invention,

partment having an opening through which the articles are designed to be withdrawn, and a tension device secured to said support and extendin longitudinally in the compartment and provided. with an outwardly projecting free end designed to extend across and bear upon the uppermost edges of the articles in the compartment.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a support consisting of a base and a vertically extending plate secured thereto, frames secured to said plate and projecting laterally therefrom, and. provided with horizontally extending portions on which articles to be held are designed to be set on edge, and a spring tension device secured at its rear end to the plate and extending inwardly along the same, the front free end of the tension device extending outwardly and laterally and designed to press downwardly upon the upper edges of the articles within the frame.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a support consisting of a base, and a vertically extending plate secured thereto, front and rear frames secured to said plate and projecting laterally therefrom, and a tension device in the form of a spring rod secured at its rear end to the said plate and extending forwardly along the same and provided with an outwardly and laterally projecting arched free end located between the frames, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a support consisting of a base, a vertically extending plate supported thereon, and a back plate secured to the base and the vertical plate, front and back frames proj ecting laterally from the vertical plate and formed with upper and lower horizontal portions, longitudinally connecting portions, and opposite ends provided with eyes for the reception of fastening devices to secure the frames to the plate, a spring rod having a coiled rear end secured to the extending forwardly from said end along the plate, and provided with an arched outwardly and laterally projecting free end for the purpose specified, and a staple secured to the plate and straddling the rod between its ends, whereby to limit the movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND THOMAS. [L.s.]

lVitnesses PEARL CRIss, BELVA RODAHAVER.

plate, the rod 

